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Intermediate

Temporal Clauses

How time relationships are expressed in subordinate clauses in Spanish, English and Chinese.

Compare languages

Temporal clauses express when an event happens relative to another. Spanish uses the indicative or subjunctive depending on certainty. English uses various conjunctions with normal tense. Chinese uses 的de时shí候hòu/之zhī前qián/之zhī后hòu/当dāng.

Overview

Temporal clauses indicate the time of an event relative to the main clause.

Spanish: Uses indicative for factual/realized events, subjunctive for future, hypothetical, or non-factual events. Many temporal conjunctions require the subjunctive when the event is not yet realized.
English: Uses normal tense sequences. Present tense is used in subordinate clauses even when the main clause is future. No mood distinction.
Chinese: Uses postpositions (的de时shí候hòu, 之zhī前qián, 之zhī后hòu, 以yǐ来lái) attached to the clause. 当dāng requires 的de时shí候hòu. The 一yī…就jiù… construction expresses immediate sequence.

Spanish

Cuando (when)

Indicative (past or present factual):

Cuando llegué, estaba cansado. (When I arrived, I was tired.)
Cuando llueve, me quedo en casa. (When it rains, I stay home.)

Subjunctive (future, habitual with uncertainty):

Cuando venga, te llamaré. (When he comes, I’ll call you.)
Llámame cuando puedas. (Call me when you can.)

Mientras (while)

Indicative (ongoing action in the past or present):

Mientras leía, sonó el teléfono. (While I was reading, the phone rang.)
Mientras estudio, no hablo. (While I study, I don’t talk.)

Subjunctive (future or hypothetical):

Mientras estés aquí, estarás seguro. (While you are here, you’ll be safe.)

Antes de que (before)

Always triggers subjunctive:

Antes de que salga, dime la verdad. (Before he leaves, tell me the truth.)
Lávate las manos antes de que comamos. (Wash your hands before we eat.)

Infinitive alternative (same subject):

Antes de salir, cierra la puerta. (Before leaving, close the door.)

Después de que (after)

Usually indicative for past events, subjunctive for future:

Después de que llegó, cenamos. (After he arrived, we had dinner.)
Después de que termine, iremos. (After he finishes, we’ll go.)

Infinitive alternative (same subject):

Después de comer, dormí. (After eating, I slept.)

Tan pronto como / En cuanto (as soon as)

Subjunctive for future:

Tan pronto como llegue, te aviso. (As soon as he arrives, I’ll let you know.)
En cuanto pueda, te llamo. (As soon as I can, I’ll call you.)

Hasta que (until)

Subjunctive when the event is not yet realized:

Esperaré hasta que venga. (I’ll wait until he comes.)
No me voy hasta que termines. (I’m not leaving until you finish.)

Note: No…hasta que = “not…until”

Desde que (since)

Indicative:

Desde que llegué, no paro de trabajar. (Since I arrived, I haven’t stopped working.)
No lo veo desde que se fue. (I haven’t seen him since he left.)

Cada vez que (every time)

Indicative:

Cada vez que viene, me trae flores. (Every time he comes, he brings me flowers.)

A medida que / Conforme (as)

A medida que pasaba el tiempo, mejoraba. (As time passed, he improved.)

English

When

When I arrived, he was sleeping.
Call me when you get home. (present for future)
When I was young, we lived in Madrid.

While / As

While I was reading, the phone rang.
As I walked in, everyone stopped talking.
He called while I was cooking.

Before / After

Wash your hands before you eat. (present for future)
I left after he arrived.
Before I knew it, it was over.

As soon as / The moment / Once

I’ll call you as soon as I arrive. (present for future)
The moment he saw her, he smiled.
Once you finish, let me know.

Until / Till

Wait here until I come back. (present for future)
I didn’t leave until he apologized.
I won’t go till you say so.

Since

I haven’t seen him since he left.
Since I met her, I’ve been happy.
It has rained every day since we arrived.

Every time / Whenever

Every time he comes, he complains.
Whenever I see her, she smiles.

By the time

By the time I arrived, it was over.
By the time you read this, I’ll be gone.

Present for future rule

English uses the present tense in temporal clauses even when the main clause is future:

✅ When he arrives, I’ll tell him.
❌ When he will arrive, I’ll tell him.

No sooner… than / Hardly… when

No sooner had I arrived than he left. (inversion)
Hardly had I finished when the phone rang.

Chinese

当dāng…的de时shí候hòu (when)

当dāng我wǒ到dào的de时shí候hou，他tā在zài睡shuì觉jiào。(When I arrived, he was sleeping.)
当dāng我wǒ看kàn书shū的de时shí候hou，电diàn话huà响xiǎng了le。(When I was reading, the phone rang.)

Note: 当dāng…的de时shí候hòu is the standard construction. Sometimes 当dāng is omitted:

我wǒ看kàn书shū的de时shí候hou，他tā来lái了le。(When I was reading, he came.)

在zài…之zhī前qián (before)

在zài我wǒ走zǒu之zhī前qián，告gào诉su我wǒ。(Before I leave, tell me.)
吃chī饭fàn之zhī前qián洗xǐ手shǒu。(Wash hands before eating.)

…以yǐ后hòu (after)

他tā来lái以yǐ后hòu，我wǒ们men吃chī了le晚wǎn饭fàn。(After he came, we had dinner.)
吃chī完wán饭fàn以yǐ后hòu，我wǒ睡shuì觉jiào。(After eating, I slept.)

在zài…的de时shí候hòu / …时shí (while)

在zài我wǒ学xué习xí的de时shí候hou，别bié打dǎ扰rǎo我wǒ。(While I’m studying, don’t disturb me.)
他tā说shuō话huà的de时shí候hou，大dà家jiā都dōu安ān静jìng。(While he was speaking, everyone was quiet.)

一yī…就jiù… (as soon as)

他tā一yí到dào，我wǒ就jiù告gào诉su你nǐ。(As soon as he arrives, I’ll tell you.)
我wǒ一yí看kàn见jiàn他tā，就jiù笑xiào了le。(As soon as I saw him, I smiled.)

Pattern: 一yī + event A + 就jiù + event B (A happens, then immediately B)

直zhí到dào…才cái (not…until)

直zhí到dào他tā道dào歉qiàn，我wǒ才cái走zǒu。(I didn’t leave until he apologized.)
我wǒ直zhí到dào昨zuó天tiān才cái知zhī道dào。(I didn’t know until yesterday.)

Pattern: 直zhí到dào + event + 才cái + result

从cóng…以yǐ来lái (since)

从cóng我wǒ认rèn识shi他tā以yǐ来lái，我wǒ很hěn开kāi心xīn。(Since I met him, I’ve been happy.)

每měi次cì…都dū (every time)

每měi次cì他tā来lái，都dōu带dài花huā。(Every time he comes, he brings flowers.)
每měi当dāng我wǒ看kàn见jiàn她tā，她tā都dōu在zài笑xiào。(Whenever I see her, she’s smiling.)

越yuè…越yuè (the more…the more)

时shí间jiān越yuè长cháng，感gǎn情qíng越yuè深shēn。(The longer the time, the deeper the feelings.)

Comparison at a glance

Temporal relation	Spanish	English	Chinese
When	cuando + ind/subj	when	当dāng…的de时shí候hòu
While	mientras	while / as	…的de时shí候hòu
Before	antes de que + subj	before	在zài…之zhī前qián
After	después de que + ind/subj	after	…以yǐ后hòu
As soon as	tan pronto como + subj	as soon as	一yī…就jiù…
Until	hasta que + subj	until	直zhí到dào…才cái
Since	desde que	since	从cóng…以yǐ来lái
Every time	cada vez que	every time / whenever	每měi次cì…都dū

Examples

In Context

Spanish	English	Chinese
Cuando llegué, estaba durmiendo.	When I arrived, he was sleeping.	当dāng我wǒ到dào的de时shí候hòu，他tā在zài睡shuì觉jué。
Tan pronto como llegue, te aviso.	As soon as he arrives, I’ll tell you.	他tā一yī到dào，我wǒ就jiù告gào诉sù你nǐ。
No me voy hasta que pida perdón.	I won’t leave until he apologizes.	直zhí到dào他tā道dào歉qiàn，我wǒ才cái走zǒu。

Common mistakes

Spanish speakers learning English: When he will arrive → When he arrives (present for future)
English speakers learning Spanish: Antes de que viene → Antes de que venga (subjunctive required)
English speakers learning Chinese: 当dāng我wǒ到dào → 当dāng我wǒ到dào的de时shí候hòu (的de时shí候hòu required)
Chinese speakers learning English: Before I left, I closed the door for simultaneous → Before leaving, I closed the door (if same subject)

Conditionals: How if-clauses work
Subjunctive: How mood encodes uncertainty
Aspect: How ongoing and completed actions are marked
Verb Tenses: How tense sequences work

Examples

When I arrived

Cuando llegué (indicative)

Before I leave

Antes de que me vaya (subjunctive)

After he came

Después de que vino (indicative)

While I was reading

Mientras leía

As soon as he arrives

Tan pronto como llegue (subjunctive)

Until she calls

Hasta que llame (subjunctive)

Since I met him

Desde que lo conocí

Every time he comes

Cada vez que viene

Examples

When I arrived

Before I leave

After he came

While I was reading

As soon as he arrives

Until she calls

Since I met him

Every time he comes

Every time he comes / Whenever he comes

Examples

When I arrived

当dāng我wǒ到dào的de时shí候hòu

Before I leave

在zài我wǒ走zǒu之zhī前qián

After he came

他tā来lái以yǐ后hòu

While I was reading

我wǒ看kàn书shū的de时shí候hòu

As soon as he arrives

他tā一yī到dào...就jiù...

Until she calls

直zhí到dào她tā打dǎ电diàn话huà

Since I met him

从cóng我wǒ认rèn识shí他tā以yǐ来lái

Every time he comes

每měi次cì他tā来lái都dū

Comparison at a glance

Grammar concepts	Spanish	English	Chinese
When I arrived	Cuando llegué (indicative)	When I arrived	当dāng我wǒ到dào的de时shí候hòu
Before I leave	Antes de que me vaya (subjunctive)	Before I leave	在zài我wǒ走zǒu之zhī前qián
After he came	Después de que vino (indicative)	After he came	他tā来lái以yǐ后hòu
While I was reading	Mientras leía	While I was reading	我wǒ看kàn书shū的de时shí候hòu
As soon as he arrives	Tan pronto como llegue (subjunctive)	As soon as he arrives	他tā一yī到dào...就jiù...
Until she calls	Hasta que llame (subjunctive)	Until she calls	直zhí到dào她tā打dǎ电diàn话huà
Since I met him	Desde que lo conocí	Since I met him	从cóng我wǒ认rèn识shí他tā以yǐ来lái
Every time he comes	Cada vez que viene	Every time he comes / Whenever he comes	每měi次cì他tā来lái都dū

Side-by-side comparison

Grammar concepts	Spanish	English	Chinese
When I arrived	Cuando llegué (indicative)	When I arrived	当dāng我wǒ到dào的de时shí候hòu
Before I leave	Antes de que me vaya (subjunctive)	Before I leave	在zài我wǒ走zǒu之zhī前qián
After he came	Después de que vino (indicative)	After he came	他tā来lái以yǐ后hòu
While I was reading	Mientras leía	While I was reading	我wǒ看kàn书shū的de时shí候hòu
As soon as he arrives	Tan pronto como llegue (subjunctive)	As soon as he arrives	他tā一yī到dào...就jiù...
Until she calls	Hasta que llame (subjunctive)	Until she calls	直zhí到dào她tā打dǎ电diàn话huà
Since I met him	Desde que lo conocí	Since I met him	从cóng我wǒ认rèn识shí他tā以yǐ来lái
Every time he comes	Cada vez que viene	Every time he comes / Whenever he comes	每měi次cì他tā来lái都dū

Examples in context

When I arrived

Spanish

Cuando llegué (indicative)

English

When I arrived

Chinese

当dāng我wǒ到dào的de时shí候hòu

Before I leave

Spanish

Antes de que me vaya (subjunctive)

English

Before I leave

Chinese

在zài我wǒ走zǒu之zhī前qián

After he came

Spanish

Después de que vino (indicative)

English

After he came

Chinese

他tā来lái以yǐ后hòu

While I was reading

Spanish

Mientras leía

English

While I was reading

Chinese

我wǒ看kàn书shū的de时shí候hòu

As soon as he arrives

Spanish

Tan pronto como llegue (subjunctive)

English

As soon as he arrives

Chinese

他tā一yī到dào...就jiù...

Until she calls

Spanish

Hasta que llame (subjunctive)

English

Until she calls

Chinese

直zhí到dào她tā打dǎ电diàn话huà

Since I met him

Spanish

Desde que lo conocí

English

Since I met him

Chinese

从cóng我wǒ认rèn识shí他tā以yǐ来lái

Every time he comes

Spanish

Cada vez que viene

English

Every time he comes / Whenever he comes

Chinese

每měi次cì他tā来lái都dū

Key Takeaways

Spanish: Uses indicative for factual/realized events, subjunctive for future, hypothetical, or non-factual events. Many temporal conjunctions require.

English: Uses normal tense sequences. Present tense is used in subordinate clauses even when the main clause is future. No mood distinction.

Chinese: Uses postpositions (的de时shí候hòu, 之zhī前qián, 之zhī后hòu, 以yǐ来lái) attached to the clause. 当dāng requires 的de时shí候hòu. The 一yī...就jiù.. constru. Chinese uses 的de时shí候hòu/之

Key concepts compared: When I arrived, Before I leave, After he came.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Spanish use the subjunctive in temporal clauses like 'antes de que' while English and Chinese express the same meaning with simple conjunctions?

Spanish *antes de que* (before) requires the subjunctive because the event in the temporal clause is future and uncertain: *Antes de que VENGA* (before he comes — he may not come). English uses 'before he comes' with a simple present. Chinese uses <ruby>在<rt>zài</rt></ruby><ruby>他<rt>tā</rt></ruby><ruby>来<rt>lái</rt></ruby><ruby>之<rt>zhī</rt></ruby><ruby>前<rt>qián</rt></ruby> (before he comes) with no mood marker. An English speaker learning Spanish must learn that temporal conjunctions can trigger the subjunctive based on epistemic status, a concept absent in English. A Chinese speaker faces the same challenge. Both groups will produce *antes de que viene* (indicative), which is grammatically incorrect and signals that the speaker treats the future event as certain.

How does Chinese <ruby>的<rt>de</rt></ruby><ruby>时<rt>shí</rt></ruby><ruby>候<rt>hòu</rt></ruby> differ from English 'when' in terms of syntactic structure and tense marking?

Chinese <ruby>的<rt>de</rt></ruby><ruby>时<rt>shí</rt></ruby><ruby>候<rt>hòu</rt></ruby> is a postposition attached to a clause: <ruby>我<rt>wǒ</rt></ruby><ruby>到<rt>dào</rt></ruby><ruby>的<rt>de</rt></ruby><ruby>时<rt>shí</rt></ruby><ruby>候<rt>hòu</rt></ruby> (I arrive-DE-time = when I arrived). The verb remains unchanged; tense is inferred from context. English 'when' is a conjunction that introduces a clause with its own tense: 'When I ARRIVED' (past tense required). Spanish *cuando* also requires tense: *Cuando LLEGUÉ.* An English speaker learning Chinese will look for a past tense marker and will not find one, often inserting <ruby>了<rt>le</rt></ruby> unnecessarily. A Chinese speaker learning English will omit tense in the temporal clause: 'When I arrive' for a past narrative, producing a tense mismatch.

Why do learners confuse 'since' (temporal) with 'since' (causal) in English, and does Spanish or Chinese have a similar ambiguity?

English 'since' is ambiguous between temporal ('Since 2010, I have lived here') and causal ('Since you asked, I'll tell you'). Spanish distinguishes them: *desde* (temporal) vs. *ya que / puesto que* (causal). Chinese also distinguishes them: <ruby>自<rt>zì</rt></ruby><ruby>从<rt>cóng</rt></ruby> (temporal) vs. <ruby>因<rt>yīn</rt></ruby><ruby>为<rt>wèi</rt></ruby> (causal). An English speaker learning Spanish or Chinese must learn to use different words for what feels like a single concept. A Spanish or Chinese speaker learning English must learn that 'since' covers both meanings and that the distinction relies on context and tense: temporal 'since' is typically used with perfect tenses ('Since 2010 I HAVE lived here'), while causal 'since' uses any tense. This tense-aspect cue is not obvious to learners.

References

Nueva gramática de la lengua española — Real Academia Española / Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española, 2010
The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language — Huddleston & Pullum, Cambridge University Press, 2002
A Comprehensive Grammar of the Modern Chinese Language — Li & Thompson, 1981

Read this first

verb-tenses time-expressions

Last updated: June 4, 2026

Overview

Spanish

Cuando (when)

Mientras (while)

Antes de que (before)

Después de que (after)

Tan pronto como / En cuanto (as soon as)

Hasta que (until)

Desde que (since)

Cada vez que (every time)

A medida que / Conforme (as)

English

When

While / As

Before / After

As soon as / The moment / Once

Until / Till

Since

Every time / Whenever

By the time

Present for future rule

No sooner… than / Hardly… when

Chinese

当dāng…的de时shí候hòu (when)

在zài…之zhī前qián (before)

…以yǐ后hòu (after)

在zài…的de时shí候hòu / …时shí (while)

一yī…就jiù… (as soon as)

直zhí到dào…才cái (not…until)

从cóng…以yǐ来lái (since)

每měi次cì…都dū (every time)

越yuè…越yuè (the more…the more)

Comparison at a glance

Examples

In Context

Common mistakes

Related topics

Examples

Examples

Examples

Comparison at a glance

Side-by-side comparison

Examples in context

Key Takeaways

Frequently Asked Questions

References